Prawn cocktail quiche (Serves 6 as a starter)
I love a good prawn cocktail, who doesn’t? This picnic quiche is a little nod to the 70s classic. It has the same flavours but no limp lettuce or tasteless tomato.
You can make a big one if you wish, or little canapé sized ones as I sometimes do; just adjust the cooking time accordingly. Prawn cocktail will never be the same again!
For the pastry
250g plain flour
150g unsalted butter, diced
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
1 medium egg, beaten
3 tbsp milk
Egg wash (1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tbsp milk)
For the filling
15 raw tiger prawns, peeled, de-veined and halved
3 medium eggs
300ml double cream
50ml good quality tomato ketchup, ideally home-made
½ tsp Tabasco
5 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
50g Parmesan, freshly grated
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the pastry, put the flour, butter, salt and rosemary into a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and milk and pulse briefly until the dough comes together. Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. *Preheat your oven to 190°C.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the 3.15mm thickness and use to line a loose-based rectangular flan tin, about 25 x 10cm and 3cm deep, or an 18cm round flan tin, 3cm deep. Line the pastry case with a sheet of greaseproof paper and add a layer of baking beans. *Rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Bake the pastry case for 15 minutes, then lift out the paper and beans and brush the pastry with egg wash.
Return to the oven for 3 minutes, then remove and set aside. Turn the oven down to 160°C.
For the filling, lightly beat the eggs, cream, tomato ketchup and Tabasco together and season with salt and pepper.
Scatter the spring onions and cherry tomatoes in the pastry case, followed by the prawns, distributing them evenly.
Pour on the egg and cream mixture, then sprinkle with the grated Parmesan.
Bake for 25–30 minutes until the custard is set and the pastry is golden.
Leave the quiche in the tin on a wire rack to cool a little before slicing.
Either eat warm or leave it to cool completely and take to the beach or park.
The Independent
Everyday Seafood by Nathan Outlaw(R415 on Loot.co.za).